FIND ORGANIZATIONS
Backline has vetted organizations across the country to create a national network of care providers that support the music industry by providing access to healthcare, financial assistance, treatment options, and more.
You may be qualified to receive free services through these programs. If you’re not sure, connect with a Case Manager and we’ll help you find the best options for you.
- HEALTH & WELLNESS
- FINANCIAL SUPPORT AND EMERGENCY AID
- SUPPORT NETWORKS
- MENTAL HEALTH & COUNSELING SERVICES
- SUBSTANCE USE RESOURCES
- NUTRITION & WELLNESS INITIATIVES
- INTERNATIONAL MENTAL HEALTH ORGANIZATIONS
Oregon & Clark County, WA
The Jeremy Wilson Foundation is a 501(c)3 nonprofit musicians’ service organization dedicated to providing emergency financial assistance in times of medical crisis and to improving the overall well-being of individual musicians and their families. JWF navigator may also help you communicate with healthcare systems, such as finding providers and accessing care, dealing with medical bills, and communicating with insurance companies regarding coverage.
JEREMY WILSON FOUNDATION
Denton, TX
Denton music and arts collaborative (DMAC) is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. DMAC works to preserve, promote, and continue the unique and culturally significant musical and artistic heritage of Denton by providing vital healthcare subsidies for local artists and musicians.
DENTON MUSIC AND ARTS COLLABORATIVE
New Orleans, LA
Founded by a coalition of music advocates on May 1, 1998, the New Orleans Musicians’ Clinic (NOMC) became the 1st comprehensive medical clinic for musicians, performing artists, and cultural workers in the United States.
NO MUSICIANS CLINIC
Seattle, WA
SMASH (Seattle Musicians Access to Sustainable Healthcare) is a nonprofit organization dedicated to keeping our music community healthy and thriving by providing health education, advocacy, and access to preventative healthcare to Seattle area working musicians.
SEATTLE MUSICIANS ACCESS TO SUSTAINABLE HEALTHCARE
New York, NY
The Actors Fund fosters stability and resiliency, and provides a safety net for performing arts and entertainment professionals over their lifespan.
ENTERTAINMENT COMMUNITY FUND
Austin, TX
The Musician Treatment Foundation (MTF) assists in providing surgical and nonsurgical care for the shoulder, elbow, and hand injuries of uninsured and underinsured professional musicians so they can maintain their livelihoods and keep the music playing for us all. MTF is dedicated to fostering a world that cares for its injured musicians regardless of their ability to pay.
MUSICIAN TREATMENT FOUNDATION
New York, NY
For 28 years, the Jazz Foundation of America (JFA) has been keeping jazz, blues, roots, R&B and soul alive by helping the musicians who have played with everyone from Duke Ellington and Billie Holiday to Jimi Hendrix and The Rolling Stones. Our social work services provide housing assistance, pro bono medical care, and emergency financial support to musicians in crisis
JAZZ FOUNDATION OF AMERICA
NATIONAL
Sight & Sound provides free vision care to those in the music industry at trade shows and industry events around the country.
If you are unable to attend an in person vision clinic and have eye care needs please contact them directly. Sight & Sound has a National network of over 1,100 eye care professionals across the United States to help you in receiving glasses, readers, and eye exams at no cost.
SIGHT & SOUND
NATIONAL
NeedyMeds.org connects people to programs that help them afford their medications and other healthcare costs. They provide resources such as patient assistance programs, coupons, and information on free or low-cost clinics. The goal of NeedyMeds is to make it easier for individuals to access affordable medications and health care services, especially those who are uninsured or underinsured.
NEEDY MEDS
Fullerton, CA
Sweet Relief Musicians Fund provides financial assistance to all types of career musicians and music industry workers who are struggling to make ends meet while facing illness, disability, or age-related problems.
Sweet Relief
MusiCares provides a safety net of critical assistance for music people in times of need. MusiCares’ services and resources cover a wide range of financial, medical and personal emergencies, and each case is treated with integrity and confidentiality. MusiCares also focuses the resources and attention of the music industry on human service issues that directly influence the health and welfare of the music community.
MusiCares
Brewer, Maine
The mission of The Haven Foundation is to offer interim financial assistance to freelance professionals in the arts who face crises. The Foundation’s reach is the United States, and its awards are granted with a view to helping individuals overcome temporary adversity and return to full-time work.
The Haven Foundation
New York, NY
Changes in the music industry have left many behind including underground legends, session players and even the big names themselves. When age, illness, or disaster threatens a long career, many have nowhere to turn. These musicians have been saving us with their music our entire lives. These are dignified people who never think to ask for help. Our lifesaving programs turn despair into hope.
The Jazz Foundation
Kingston, NY
We are dedicated to providing emergency funding and resources to financially distressed individuals in the creative and performing arts for housing, medical and legal aid. One time grants are awarded ranging from $500-$1000. Special consideration is given, but not limited to, Max’s Kansas City’s extended family, (those who worked at Max’s or were Max’s patrons).
We are also committed to empowering teens through the arts with a focus on substance abuse and suicide prevention by mentoring and motivating them to make healthy choices, offering an ongoing process to aid them in building the personal skills needed to inspire them to lead healthy, productive lives. Our FEARLESS YOUTH Program is characterized by a positive skills building approach, introducing teens to the creative arts as an outlet to meet the challenges of life in constructive ways, mentoring them and raising awareness on the dangers and consequences of substance abuse and addiction.
Max’s Kansas City Project
Atlanta, GA
Create fund-raising opportunities and solicit donations in order to maintain a cash deposit reserve to be used for donations to musicians or to like-minded organizations.
Atlanta Musician Emergency Relief Fund
Oklahoma
RDRF operates an Emergency Assistance Fund that provides individual grants to help music people recover from accidents, cancer treatment, medical emergencies, natural disasters, drug and alcohol rehabilitation and other unavoidable emergencies. These grants typically cover immediate living expenses and medical bills.
RDRF also has partnerships with providers to provide discounted dental, vision and hearing care as well as free assistance finding affordable health insurance.
Red Dirt Relief Fund
Pensacola, FL
Gulf Coast Musicians Medical Fund provides medical cost assistance for our Brother and Sister Gulf Coast musicians and songwriters in our community, which includes Alabama, Florida, Mississippi and Louisiana. GCMMF serves those musicians and songwriters in need of medical care, including initial office visit costs, initial prescription costs, and education on treatment and diagnosis through counseling from Pastors, Counselors or Licensed Professionals. We are a 501 (c) Christian based charity committed to improving the health and medical care of the musicians and songwriters, and helping to offset the cost of minor health issues that if left untreated, could unnecessarily develop into a major health issue.
GULF COAST MUSICIANS MEDICAL FUND
NATIONAL
Musician Treatment Foundation helps deliver upper limb orthopedic care for eligible under and uninsured professional musicians. MTF is dedicated to helping injured musicians recover their livelihoods and keep the music playing for everyone. Learn more at mtfusa.org and seek care by writing care@mtfusa.org.
Musician treatment foundation
Memphis, TN
The Blues Foundation established the HART Fund (Handy Artists Relief Trust) for Blues musicians and their families in financial need due to a broad range of health concerns. The Fund provides for acute, chronic and preventive medical and dental care as well as funeral and burial expenses. Throughout the year at various events the HART Fund provides free health screenings for musicians, with services including but not limited to checking blood pressure, cholesterol, diabetes, prostate cancer, Hep C, anemia, thyroid, kidney and liver testing via blood work.
BLUES FOUNDATION- HART FUND
NATIONAL
Music Health Alliance’s mission is to find solutions and restore health and hope for music industry professionals nationwide. MHA helps clients understand and enroll in health insurance, walks alongside clients who are navigating a new diagnosis, connects those in need to vital health care resources, and helps clients with negotiating and reducing medical bills. MHA also has several grant funds that assist clients with therapy, diagnostic care, medical bills, dental care, and senior care.
MUSIC HEALTH ALLIANCE
Melbourne, FL
To Write Love on Her Arms is a non-profit movement dedicated to presenting hope and finding help for people struggling with depression, addiction, self injury, and suicide. TWLOHA exists to encourage, inform, inspire, and also to invest directly into treatment and recovery.
To Write Love On Her Arms
Beverley Hills, CA
Founded by Godsmack, The Scars Foundation helps raise awareness of mental health issues by providing resources and tools to educate and empower people on a global level that struggle with these burdens.
Scars Foundation
New York
The charter Celebrity Alliance launched with a formal rally with over 300 supporters in attendance on November 14th, 2017, in New York City. There, The Alliance introduced their “#SameHere” Movement, uniting the world through one ASL sign language hand gesture (you see depicted in their logos and profile pictures) that communicates – no matter where we live, or what our background or our accolades, we all go through life’s inevitable challenges, and we should have a society where it is openly acceptable to talk about those challenges, thus: “#SameHere!” Video. Find out more about the origin story which led to The Alliance’s usage of #SameHere.
Same Here Alliance
Crisis Text Line
Free, confidential crisis support 24/7 for individuals in crisis or needing mental health support nationwide in English and Spanish. Text HELLO to 741741 or to 443-SUPPORT (443-787-7678) in WhatsApp for help in English. Text HOLA to 741741 or 442-AYUDAME (442-298-3263) in WhatsApp for Spanish. Webchat can be accessed at https://connect.crisistextline.org/chat
All of Crisis Text Line's crisis counselors are volunteers, and all conversations are overseen in real time by a Clinical Supervisor.
Crisis Text Line
Austin, TX
The SIMS Foundation provides mental health and substance use recovery services and supports for musicians, music industry professionals, and their dependent family members. Through education, community partnerships, and accessible managed care, SIMS seeks to destigmatize and reduce mental health and substance use issues, while supporting and enhancing the wellbeing of the music community at large.
SIMS Foundation
NASHVILLE, TN
Porter's Call provides a safe and confidential refuge for touring recording artists and their partners/spouses to receive mental health guidance and support uniquely tailored to the challenges they face both on and off the stage. The services at Porter’s Call are offered to every eligible artist at no charge and available in-person or virtually. Having cared for thousands of artists and their families, Porter's Call is a trusted and integral part of the music landscape in Nashville and beyond.
Porters Call
US & UK
Music Industry Therapist Collective is an award-winning international network of specialist music industry therapists. Each of our therapists has personal experience of working in the music business, prior to retraining. We deliver individual, group, relationship and band therapy, welfare consultation, workshops and seminars to organisations like Warner Music Group, AEG, SXSW and more. Our landmark publication Touring and Mental Health: the Music Industry Manual was released in 2023.
Music Industry Therapists & Coaches
New York, NY
Sound Mind's mission is to foster community and healing on mental health through the power of music. Our events and programs create safe spaces where music and open conversations about mental health coexist - this includes Sound Mind Center, a hub in NYC for music and arts as a source of healing and connection on mental health - ranging from support groups to yoga and sound meditation to live concert events. Sound Mind also hosts and annual Music Festival for Mental Health in NYC each May
Sound Mind Live
Niles, Michigan
The Clinic is committed to providing a safe space for roadies and their families to heal while off the road, and to advocate for – and empower them to obtain – a healthy work environment while on the road. Their vision is “Healthy road life. Healthy home life.”
The Roadie Clinic
National
NATIONAL ALLIANCE FOR EATING DISORDERS
MusiCares provides a safety net of critical assistance for music people in times of need. MusiCares’ services and resources cover a wide range of financial, medical and personal emergencies, and each case is treated with integrity and confidentiality. MusiCares also focuses the resources and attention of the music industry on human service issues that directly influence the health and welfare of the music community.
MusiCares
National
At The Phoenix, we’re fueling a movement that builds on the power of community and belonging to change how society approaches addiction and recovery. Through hundreds of weekly sober events and activities, we’re creating safe spaces for all individuals to connect, build friendships, find support, and have fun.
The Phoenix
National
You Are Accountable provides a flexible virtual recovery coaching and monitoring program for individuals with substance use disorders. Clients engage in weekly individual coaching sessions to create wellness plans based on the 9 dimensions of wellness. We ensure additional accountability and safety through virtual drug and alcohol monitoring. By partnering with family members and clinical professionals, we offer a comprehensive approach to overall wellness.
YOU ARE ACCOUNTABLE
The national organization works with artists, promoters, management and venues nationwide to donate unused backstage meals to community organizations that feed the homeless, hungry and food insecure. Musically Fed identifies the opportunities, procures the resources, and coordinates all aspects of food handling, transport, and distribution. Our daily goal is to make it easy for promoters and performers to leave each city they visit with a lasting positive impact.
Musically Fed
Optimized Touring provides health and wellness services for the touring community, across Nutrition, Fitness, Stress, Sleep, Hydration and Habit Development, as well as providing personalized 1:1 health coaching from integrative health coaches for clients of all backgrounds.
Optimized Touring
Sound Nutrition was thoughtfully developed by registered dietitian, yoga teacher, and integrative health expert Emmaline Rasmussen. Emmaline holds a degree in integrative medicine from Georgetown University and utilizes a holistic approach to support artists and creative professionals in enjoying long, productive careers in the music industry. Having toured herself and experienced first-hand the challenges of life on the road, Emmaline simplifies wellness on- and off-tour by making healthy food readily available and supporting artists and crew through comprehensive wellness programming.
Sound Nutrition
UK
Available 24 hours a day, seven days a week, Music Minds Matter is Help Musicians’ dedicated mental health support line and service for the whole UK music community.
Music Minds Matter
Canada
Formed in 2010 with one simple but important goal in mind: to ensure that the people who make up the Canadian music business never face times of crisis alone. Created by the industry, for the industry, they deliver life-saving emergency financial services and professional counseling that offer much-needed hope to those in need.
Unison
Please keep in mind that Backline does not operate as Crisis Support. If you are experiencing a crisis, please reach out to the 988, the National Suicide + Crisis Line, or contact 911 for immediate help. Additionally, you can access a list of national crisis hotlines and resources broken down by state HERE.